Toy gun



ay 26,1942. J. P. CLAYTQR E 2,284,512

TOY GUN Filed Feb. 20, 1941 J.P.OLAYTOR BY R J ATTERSON ATTORNEY.

Patented May 26, 1942 TOY GUN Jacob P. Claytor and Riley J. Patterson, Muskcgon, Mich.

Application February 20, 1941, Serial N0. 379,750

5 Claims.

The present invention relates to toy guns and more particularly to that type of gun in which several rubber bands may be discharged at a target in sequence.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple mechanism for a toy gun of this character.

The further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for a toy gun which is entirely self-contained, none of the parts projecting beyond the side plates between which the operative parts are housed. This is a real advantage since it means that the mechanism can be applied to any gun stock Without the necessity of drilling or mortising the gun stock to receive a trigger or the like. This is a most desirable feature since it permits a child to carve or cut out a facsimile of a gun or pistol with whatever tools may be at hand. He may then attach the mechanism of the type hereinafter described Without being required to carefully fit or drill the stock, thus making it possible to sell the mechanism as a unit permitting the customer to make the more bulky and expensive gun stock himself.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which consists of only two moving parts which are so designed that they are actuated entirely by the tension of the rubber bands which are to be propelled, no auxiliary springs or parts being needed. Furthermore, it may be mentioned that the toy gun to be hereinafter described may be loaded in any position and that there is no danger of injury to the operator due to slippage of the parts during loading.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which similar reference numerals denote similar parts and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of toy gun fitted with the mechanism hereinafter described.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the mechanism of the gun shown in Figure 1, one of the side plates having been removed to reveal the interior construction.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in Figure 2 indicating the position of the parts when the gun is ready to fire.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the position of the parts immediately after the rubber band has been released.

Referring to Figure 1, the stock H which, in this case, is patterned after a conventional rifle, may be made of wood or other suitable material, It will be understood of course that the present invention lies in the mechanism which is associated with the gun stock and that the stock may equally well take the form of a dummy pistol, machine gun, cross bow or other arm. Whatever the form of the stock, a notch I2 is provided at a distance from the discharge mechanism 13, the spacing being variable within wide limits and being determined solely by the size of the rubber band which is to be used. Obviously this distance may be as small as two or three inches when a small rubber band is employed or may be a matter of feet when bands cut from an automotive inner tube are to be used.

Considering the mechanism in more detail,

reference should be had to Figure 2 which illustrates in perspective the firing mechanism I3.

As shown in the drawing, the operating parts are entirely assembled within two side plates [4 (only one of which is shown in this view) and it will be noticed that, as previously mentioned, none of the parts project through the stock. This means that an extremely simple design for a stock may be used, indeed it may be of such simplicity that it can be constructed by a child of the age to which a toy of this sort would appeal. It follows that the mechanism can therefore be sold separately at an extremely low cost as compared to the price which it would be necessary to charge for an entire gun. Furthermore, it is well known that a toy which is in part a prodnot of the childs own labor is much more appreciated than one which comes to him entirely fabricated.

The movable parts of the mechanism are two in number. The first is a pawl I5 which consists of a bar Io affixed to a transverse pin IT. The pin I! fits loosely into holes in the side plates l4 so that it may turn readily. Cooperating with the pawl 55 is a latch l8 which serves both as a trigger to discharge the rubber bands and also as a detent to control the movement of the pawl l5. As shown in the drawing the latch 18 is preferably formed of a generally rectangular piece of sheet metal, two opposite corners being bent down to form cars 19. Suitable holes 29 are provided in the ears to permit the passage of a second pin (not shown) which is riveted to each side plate. From this it will be seen that the latch I8 is free to reciprocate through a small arc which is limited by the stock into which the mechanism is fitted. Obviously, if desired, stops may be affixed to the side plates to accomplish this same object and this may be of benefit in some cases since it does away with any necessity for accuracy in cutting the stock, From the drawing it will be noted that the upper surface of the latch I8 is apertured to receive the bar [8 of the pawl. It will be noted that a line normal to the plane defined by the upper surface of the latch and passing through the center of the aperture in the latch will intersect a pin passing through the holes 20 at its midpoint. Furthermore the normal distance between the pin l1 and the surface of the latch I3 is less than half the length of the bar [6.

The purpose of these parts and their relation to each other will be apparent from the description of the operation of the mechanism. Assuming an unloaded gun as shown in Figure 2, a rubber band is loaded on the gun by stretching it between the notch l2 as shown in Figure 1 and the upstanding bar l6 of the pawl I5. Under these circumstances, rotation of the pawl 15 in a counter-clockwise direction is prevented by the face of the apertured latch which is referred to hereinafter as a catch 2|.

The next step in the operation of loadin is to thumb over the pawl It a half turn in a clockwise direction. This operation bends the rubber band about transverse pin I1, and permits another band to be tensioned between the notch 12 andthe other end of the bar [6 which is now upwards. In the loading operation it will be seen that the latch 18, and more specifically the catch 2|, serves as a ratchet to permit rotation of the pawl in a clockwise direction but prevents rotation in a counter-clockwise direction under the stress of the extended rubber band or bands. Furthermore, it will be seen that the rubber band in passing over the forward edge 22 of the latch tends to rotate the latch in a counter-clockwise direction and thus keeps catch 2! in engagement with pawl 15 so long as the gun is loaded.

Th process of applying additional rubber bands androtating the pawl is continued until the combined tension of the rubber bands is such as to render further rotation of the pawl in a clockwise direction too difficult for the operator. From this. it will be seen that the number of bands which may be loaded at a single time depends solely upon the strength of the bands and the operator and is in no way limited by the mechanism itself.

The gun is now ready for firing and the parts and bands are in the position shown in Figure 3, a. latch l8 being urged in a counter-clockwise position by the rubber bands 23 passing over the upper edge of the latch 22 and the pawl being held against counter-clockwise rotation by the catch 2!. The gun may now be fired by pressing the trigger end 25 of the latch. When this is done the catch 2| passes out of engagement with the lower end of the bar 56 and the pawl rotates in a counter-clockwise direction releasing the first rubber band. Further rotation after the discharge of the first rubber band is prevented since the pawl, after passing through a small arc, hits a. second catch 26 as shown in Figure 4.

Catch 26, similar to catch 21, consists merely of one face of the apertured latch l8.

In the position shown in Figure 4 the trigger 25 is depressed, a band 23' has just been released and the pawl I5 is prevented from rotating further by the catch 26. The next step is to release the thumb pressure upon the trigger 25 thus permitting the latch I8 to rotate in a counterclockwise position under the urging of the rubber bands 23 on the edge 22 of the latch. When this occurs the catch 26 passes out of engagement with the bar l6 and the pawl rotates to assume the same position as shown in Figure 3 except that the end of the bar which was formerly uppermost is now below. The mechanism is of course again ready for firing and the-cycle is repeated until all bands are discharged.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the simplicity of this mechanism is due to the fact that a single part serves many functions, the latch 18 acting both. as the trigger and restraining: mechanism and the rubber bands, Which are to be fired, serving to maintain the parts in a locked position while the gun is loaded. While the mechanism and its method of operatlon have been described in detail, it is obvious that changes may be made. in the design within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What we claim is:

1. In mechanism of the class described, a pivotally mounted latch provided with a slot and a rotatably mounted pawl in register with said slot, said latch provided with spaced catch portions, one of said catch portions being formed by one edge of said slot and a second catch portion formed by the surface of said latch adjacent the opposing edge of said slot whereby the pawl al ternately engages said catch portions.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 in which the pawl comprises a bar mounted on a transverse pin.

3. The mechanism of claim 1 in which the pawl comprises a bar mounted on a transverse pin, the length of saidbar being greater than the greatest dimension of the slot in said latch.

4. The mechanism of claim 1 in which the sole source of energy for maintaining the pawl and the catch portions in cooperative relationship is an extended elastic band.

5. An elastic band propelling attachment for a toy gun comprising propelling mechanism contained between a pair of sideplates, a wooden stock simulating a firearm in appearance and provided with a notch to receive the elastic band propelling attachment and means for securing the attachment to the stock, the. propelling mechanism being wholly contained within the sideplates along the edge of the attachment which is aihxed to the notched portion of the stock.

JACOB P. CLAYTOR. RILEY J. PATTERSON. 

